An overview of the largest and most infamous firefight to take place between police officers and criminals in recent history.
This is a detailed account of the shootout that took place in front of the Bank of America in North Hollywood, on Feb 28, 1997. It includes an accurate timeline of events, discusses mistakes that were made, and some of the lessons learned.
At approximately 9:00 am, on the morning of February 28, 1997, two gunmen, armed to the teeth and clad in full body armor, robbed the Bank of America on Laurel Canyon Blvd in North Hollywood. They were seen entering the building by members of the Los Angeles Police Department, who were on patrol in the area. While the gunmen, later identified as Emil Matasareanu and Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., were brutalizing the four dozen employees and patrons, many of them women and children, a call went out for assistance by the LAPD, for a possible 211# in progress. Dozens of officers quickly responded to a scene, and a perimeter was set up while the gunmen were still inside.”